Month: October 2019

PERMANENT RECORD

Edward Snowden

“As I proceeded down the Tunnel, it struck me: this, in front of me, was my future. I’m not saying that I made any decisions at that instant. The most important decisions in life are never made that way. They’re made subconsciously and only express themselves once fully formed–once you’re finally strong enough to admit to yourself that this is the course your beliefs have decreed. That was my twenty-ninth birthday present to myself: the awareness that I had entered a tunnel that would narrow my life down to a single, still -indistinct act.”

–from Permanent Record

In 2013, twenty-nine year old Edward Snowden shocked the world when he broke with the American intelligence establishment and revealed that the United States government was secretly pursuing the means to collect every single phone call, text message, and email. The result would be an unprecedented system of mass surveillance with the ability to pry into the private lives of every person on earth. Six years later, Snowden reveals for the very first time how he helped to build this system and why he was moved to expose it.

Spanning the bucolic Beltway suburbs of his childhood and the clandestine CIA and NSA postings of his adulthood, Permanent Record is the extraordinary account of a bright young man who grew up online–a man who became a spy, a whistleblower, and, in exile, the internet’s conscience. Written with wit, passion, and unflinching candor, Permanent Record is a crucial memoir of our digital age and destined to be a classic.

from the jacket

…..

EDWARD SNOWDEN was born in Elizabeth City, North Carolina, and grew up in the shadow of Fort Meade, Maryland. A systems engineer by training, he served as an officer of the Central Intelligence Agency and worked as a contractor for the National Security Agency. He has received numerous awards for his public service, including the Right Livelihood Award, the German Whistleblower Prize, the Ridenhour Prize for Truth-Telling, and the Carl von Ossietzky Medal from the International League for Human Rights. Currently, he is president of the board of directors of the Freedom of the Press Foundation.

from the jacket

THE FIRST AMERICANS WERE AFRICANS

Documented Evidence

by David Imhotep Ph.D.

This Book Will Change The Way History Is Written About The Western Hemisphere

Cowboys and Indians Africans? Not hardly. The Cowboys and Indians came on the scene far too late. The first Americans even came before the “Native Americans,” far before any other group at least 56,000 years ago! This particular statement is backed by eight peer-reviewed articles. We will study evidence exposed by a panel of credible scholars, professors and researchers. The evidence is in several different scientific fields. Many pictures, maps, charts, and summation lists are included. Do not forget the Egyptians. They were also here far before the Indians or Columbus. They left structures above and below the waves in far away places in North and South America. From the East to the West coasts; from the valleys to the mountain tops that still carry their names. You will read about remnants of their artifacts, writings, architecture, farming and more. For years this story was hidden and forbidden to be repeated. Researchers who dared to bring out new finds against the accepted history were intimidated, funding terminated, and in some cases their careers put in jeopardy. Dr. Imhotep is now throwing caution to the winds and lifting the veil of secrecy never to be closed again. This is a true history for all to learn and enjoy and there is much more on its way…as the veil of secrecy and concealed information is made available to the public in The Lifting of the Veil Series.

From The Cover

“ Dr. David Imhotep brings us the evidence that shows that Africans peopled the American continents before any other people. There are bound to be many people who will follow the lead of this pioneering scholar, Dr. Imhotep. He puts into context much of the information that has been gathered over the years and makes it accessible to the ordinary reader as well as to the scholarly reader. Imhotep’s intent with this book is to burst onto the scene with a follow-up to the best of works by Diop. Imhotep’s work must be considered in the forefront of our new awareness of the great depth of African contributions to the world of science and art, and human beginnings on this very continent. “

Molefi Asante Ph.D.

author of The History of Africa

“Dr. David Imhotep presents keen insight into the ancient history of America. You will discover the long antiquity of African people in the New World and how they contributed to the rise of civilization in the West: the archaeological, linguistic and genetic evidence supports Dr. Imhotep’s thesis of a pre-Columbus African presence in America. It shows that David has opened a new path of scholarship relating to the peopling of the New World that is long overdue. Finally we must conclude that multiple sources of evidence substantiate Dr. Imhotep’s thesis that the first anatomically modern humans in the Americas may have come from Africa.”

Clyde A. Winters Ph.D.

author of Afrocentrism: Myth or Science

“Imhotep’s collection . . . the maps, photos, drawings and reports comparing the construction by Ohio Valley mound builders and New Mexican pueblo cliff-dwellers to the Mandingo of Mali are thought-provoking. So are references drawn from Mexican Olmec legends of dark-skinned people arriving in bark-skin boats out of the sunrise. Imhotep’s collection of evidence is not limited to comparing ruins. He delves into DNA links between peoples of Africa and the Americas, and examines everything from pottery to plants to help prove his theory.

Are these and other points Imhotep makes enough to prove that Africans, and perhaps even Egyptians, explored, settled, and traded back-and-forth across the South Atlantic? Whether he is right or wrong in his interpretation of the evidence is not the issue, he presents a strong enough case to make the reader think . . . it is packed with far too much evidence for the reader to ignore.”

Clarion Review

POETRY

LANGSTON HUGHES

THE NEGRO SPEAKS OF RIVERS

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

I’ve known rivers ancient as the world and older than the flow of human blood in human veins.

I’ve known rivers:

I bathed in the Euphrates when dawns were young.

I built my hut near the Congo and it lulled me to sleep.

I looked upon the Nile and raised the pyramids above it.

I heard the singing of the Mississippi when Abe Lincoln went down to New Orleans, and I’ve seen its muddy bosom turn all golden in the sunset.

I’ve known rivers:

Ancient, dusky rivers.

My soul has grown deep like the rivers.

…..

I DREAM A WORLD

I dream a world where man

No other man will scorn,

Where love will bless the earth

And peace its paths adorn.

…..

I dream a world where all

Will know sweet freedom’s way,

Where greed no longer saps the soul

Nor avarice blights our day.

…..

A world I dream where black or white,

Whatever race you be,

Will share the bounties of the earth

And every man is free,

…..

Where wretchedness will hang its head,

And joy, like a pearl,

Attend the needs of all mankind.

Of such I dream–

Our world!

…..

I, TOO, SING AMERICA

I, too sing America.

I am the darker brother

They send me to eat in the kitchen

When company comes,

But I laugh,

And eat well,

And grow strong.

…..

Tomorrow,

I’ll eat at the table

When company comes.

No body’ll dare

Say to me,

“Eat in the kitchen,”

Then.

…..

Besides,

They’ll see how beautiful I am

And be ashamed–

I, too, am America.

_____

PHILIP APPLEMAN

GOD’S GRANDEUR

When they hunger and thirst and I send down a famine,

When they pray for the sun, and I drown them with rain,

And they beg me for reasons, my only reply is:

I never apologize, never explain.

…..

When the angel of death is a black wind around them

And children are dying in terrible pain,

Then they burn little candles in churches, but still

I never apologize, never explain.

…..

When Christians kill Jews, and Jews kill the Muslims,

And Muslims kill writers they think are profane,

They clamor for peace, or for reasons , at least,

But I never apologize, never explain.

…..

When they wail about murder, and torture and rape,

When unlucky Abel complains about Cain,

And they ask me why I had planned it like this,

I never apologize, never explain.

…..

Of course, if they’re smart, they can figure it out_

The best of all reasons is perfectly plain.

It’s because I just happen to like it this way_

So I never apologize, never explain.

_____

GWENDOLYN BROOKS

THE POOL PLAYERS-WE REAL COOL

WE REAL COOL, WE

Left school, We

Lurk late, We

Strike straight, We

Sing sin, We

Thin gin, We

Jazz June, We

Die soon.

_____

STERLING A. BROWN

SOUTHERN COP

Let us forgive Ty Kendricks

The place was Darktown. He was young.

His nerves were jittery. The day was hot.

The Negro ran out of the alley.

And so Ty shot.

…..

Let us understand Ty Kendricks

The Negro must have been dangerous

Because he ran;

And here was a rookie with a chance

To prove himself man.

…..

Let us condone Ty Kendricks

If we cannot decorate.

When he found what the Negro was running for,

It was all too late;

And all we can say for the Negro is

It was unfortunate

…..

Let us pity Ty Kendricks

He has been through enough,

Standing there, his big gun smoking,

Rabbit- scared alone,

Having to hear the wenches wail

And the dying Negro moan.

_____

JOYCE KILMER

TREES

I think that I shall never see

A poem lovely as a tree.

…..

A tree whose hungry mouth is prest

Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;

…..

A tree that looks at God all day

And lifts her leafy arms to pray;

…..

A tree that may in summer wear

A nest of robins in her hair;

…..

Upon whose bosom snow has lain;

Who intimately lives with rain

…..

Poems are made by fools like me,

But only God can make a tree.

_____

RUDYARD KIPLING

IF

If you can keep your head when all about you

Are losing theirs and blaming it on you,

…..

If you can trust yourself when all men doubt you

But make allowance for their doubting too;

…..

If you can wait and not be tired by waiting,

Or being lied about, don’t deal in lies,

Or being hated don’t give way to hating,

And yet don’t look too good, nor talk too wise:

…..

If you can dream- and not make dreams your master;

If you can think- and not make thoughts your aim,

If you can meet with Triumph and Disaster

And treat those two impostors just the same;

…..

If you can bear to hear the truth you’ve spoken

Twisted by knaves to make a trap for fools,

Or watch the things you gave your life to, broken,

And stoop and build’em up with worn -out tools:

…..

If you can make one heap of all your winnings;

And risk it on one turn of pitch- and- toss,

And lose, and start again at your beginnings

And never breathe a word about your loss;

…..

If you can force your heart and nerve and sinew

To serve your turn long after they are gone

And so hold on when there is nothing in you

Except the will which says to them : “Hold on!”

…..

If you can walk with crowds and keep your virtue,

Or walk with kings- nor lose the common touch,

If neither foes nor loving friends can hurt you,

If all men count with you but none too much;

…..

If you can fill the unforgiving minute

With sixty seconds’ worth of distance run,

Yours is the earth and everything that’s in it,

And which is more–you’ll be a MAN , my son!

_____

AL YOUNG

CONJUGAL VISITS

By noon we’ll be deep into it–

up reading out loud in bed.

Or in between our making love

I’ll paint my toenails red.

…..

Reece say he got to change his name

from Maurice to Malik.

He think I need to change mine too.

Conversion, so to speak.

…..

I ain’t no Muslim yet,” I say.

“Besides, I like my name.

Kamisha still sounds good to me.

I’ll let you play that game

…..

“I’d rather play with you,” he say,

“than trip back to the Sixties.”

“The Sixties, eh?” I’m on his case.

“Then I won’t do my striptease.”

…..

This brother look at me and laugh;

he know I love him bad

and, worse, he know exactly how

much loving I ain’t had.

…..

He grab me by my puffed up waist

and pull me to him close.

He say, “I want you in my face.

Or on my face, Miss Toes.”

…..

What can I say? I’d lie for Reece,

but I’m not quitting school.

Four mouths to feed, not counting mine.

Let Urban Studies rule!

…..

I met him in the want ads,

we fell in love by mail.

I say, when people bring this up,

“Wasn’t no one up for sale.”

…..

All these Black men crammed up in jail,

all this I.Q. on ice,

while governments, bank presidents,

the Mafia don’t think twice.

…..

They fly in dope and make real sure

they hands stay nice and clean.

The chump-change Reece made on the street

–what’s that supposed to mean?

…..

“For what it costs the State to keep

you locked down, clothed and fed,

you could be learning Harvard stuff,

and brilliant skills,” I said.

…..

Reece say, “Just kiss me one more time,

then let’s get down, make love.

Then let’s devour that special meal

I wish they’d serve more of.”

…..

They say the third time out’s a charm;

I kinda think they’re right.

My first, he was the Ace of Swords,

which didn’t make him no knight.

…..

He gave me Zeus and Brittany;

my second left me twins.

This third one ain’t about no luck;

we’re honeymooners. Friends.

…..

I go see Maurice once a month

while Moms looks after things.

We be so glad to touch again,

I dance, he grins, he sings.

…..

When I get back home to my kids,

schoolwork, The Copy Shop,

ain’t no way Reece can mess with me.

They got his ass locked up.

_____

WILLIAM ERNEST HENLEY

INVICTUS

Out of the night that covers me,

Black as the Pit from pole to pole,

I thank whatever gods may be

For my unconquerable soul.

…..

In the fell clutch of circumstance

I have not winced nor cried aloud.

Under the bludgeonings of chance

My head is bloody, but unbowed.

…..

Beyond this place of wrath and tears,

Looms but the Horror of the shade,

And yet the menace of the years

Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

…..

It matters not how strait the gate,

How charged with punishments the scroll,

I am the master of my fate:

I am the captain of my soul.

_____

AMIRI BARAKA (LeROI JONES)

SOMEBODY BLEW UP AMERICA

_____

ALEXANDER POPE

FROM AN ESSAY ON CRITICISM

A little learning is a dangerous thing

Drink deep, or taste not the Pierian spring

There, shallow draughts intoxicate the brain,

But drinking largely sobers us again.

…..

Tired at first sight with what the muse imparts,

In fearless youth we tempt the heights of arts

While from the bounded level of our mind

Short views we take nor see the lengths behind.

…..

But more advanced behold with strange surprise,

New distant scenes of endless science rise!

So pleased at first the towering Alps we try,

Mount o’er the vales and seem to tread the sky,

…..

The eternal snows appear already passed

And the first clouds and mountains seem the last.

But those attained, we tremble to survey

The growing labors of the lengthened way

The increasing prospect tires our wandering eyes ,

Hills peep o’er hills and Alps on Alps arise!

_____

PAUL LAURENCE DUNBAR

IN THE MORNING

‘Lias! ‘Lias! Bless the Lawd!

Don’ you know the day’s abroad?

If you don’ get up, you scamp,

There will be trouble in this camp,

Think I gwine to let you sleep

While I makes your board and keep?

That’s a pretty howdy-do–

Don’ you hear me, ‘Lias—you?

…..

Bet if I come cross this floor

You won’t find no time to snore.

Daylight all a-shinin’ in

While you sleep—w’y it’s a sin!

Ain’t the candle light enough

To burn out without a snuff,

But you go the mo’nin through

Burning up the daylight too?

…..

‘Lias , don’ you hear me call?

No use tu’nin to’rds the wall;

I can hear the mattuss squeak;

Don’ you hear me when I speak?

Dis here clock done struck off six—

Ca’line, bring me dem ah sticks!

Oh, you down, suh; huh, you down—

Look here, don’ you dare to frown.

…..

March yo’se’f an ‘ wash yo’ face,

Don’ you splattah all de place;

I got somep’n else to do,

‘Sides jes’ cleanin’ aftah you.

Tek dat comb an’ fix yo’ haid—

Looks jes’ lak a feddah baid.

Look here, boy, I let you see

You sha’n’t roll yo’ eyes at me.

…..

Come here; bring me dat ah strap!

Boy, I’ll whup you till you drap;

You done felt yo’se’f too strong,

An’ you sholy got me wrong.

Sit down at dat table thaih;

Jes’ you whimpah ef you daih!

Evah mo’nin’ on dis place,

Seem like I mus’ lose my grace.

…..

Fol’ yo’ han’s an’ bow yo’ haid—

Wait until de blessin’ ‘s said;

“Lawd, have mussy on ouah souls—“

(Don’ you daih to tech dem rolls—)

“Bless de food we gwine to eat—“

(You set still— I see yo’ feet;

You jes’ try dat trick agin!)

“Gin us peace an’ joy. Amen!”

…..

COMPENSATION

Because I have loved so deeply,

Because I had loved so long,

God in His great compassion

Gave me the gift of song.

…..

Because I have loved so vainly,

And sung with such faltering breath,

The Master in infinite mercy

Offers the boon of Death.

_____

BLACK INDIAN SLAVE NARRATIVES

by Patrick Minges

Real Voices, Real History Series

“This book is an important contribution to the dialogue about the relationships between African Americans and Native Americans, and the complex political context in which these narratives were recorded. Patrick does not overanalyze this often emotional subject. He simply allows the people to tell their stories.”

Wilma Mankiller

Few people realize that Native Americans were enslaved right alongside the African Americans in this country. Fewer still realize that many Native Americans owned African Americans and Native Americans from other tribes. From the interviews with former slaves that were collected by the Federal Writers’ Project during the 1930s, this volume offers 27 of the most absorbing firsthand testimonies about African American and Native American relationships in the 19th century.

PATRICK MINGES worked for 17 years for Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch. While pursuing his doctorate at Union Theological Seminary, he became interested in the struggles of the Cherokees in the South. He is the author of Slavery in the Cherokee Nation: The Keetoowah Society and the Defining of a People, 1855-1867.

(from the back cover)

THE POWER OF MYTH

25th ANNIVERSARY EDITION

as seen on PBS

TWENTY-FIVE YEARS AGO, renowned scholar Joseph Campbell sat down with veteran journalist Bill Moyers for a series of interviews that became one of the most enduringly popular programs ever aired on PBS. In dialogues that adroitly span millennia of history and far-flung geography, the two men discuss myths as metaphors for human experience and the path to transcendence, touching on topics as diverse as world religion, heroic figures, and pop culture.

Now featuring newly recorded introductions by Bill Moyers, this series demonstrates that, despite superficial differences between cultures , all stories are humanity’s story.

  • 12-page viewer’s guide
  • Profiles of Campbell’s influences, episode photo galleries, and Bill Moyers biography
  • 6 episodes on 3 discs-approx.344 min., plus bonus-4:3 full screen color-stereo- documentary-not rated-SDH subtitles

(from the DVD case)

THE KNIGHT IN RUSTY ARMOR

BY ROBERT FISHER

Not since Jonathan Livingston Seagull first enthralled the reading public has there been a story that captivates the imagination so thoroughly as The Knight in Rusty Armor.

It’s a lighthearted tale of a desperate knight in search of his true self. His journey reflects our own _filled with hope and despair, belief and disillusionment, laughter and tears.

Anyone who has ever struggled with the meaning of life and love will discover profound wisdom and truth as this delightful fantasy unfolds.

The Knight is an experience that will expand your mind, touch your heart, and nourish your soul.

From the cover